Puzzle.



lUNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARENCE C. VESSELS, 0F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TOJ. A.

KURT, 0F KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

PUZZLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, CLARENCE C. VEssELs, acitizen of the United States, residing at Kansas City, in the county ofJackson and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Puzzles; and I do declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part ofthis specification.

My invention relates to puzzles and has for its object to provide apuzzle comprising an opaque body having a channeled or cutout interior,so arranged that an object contained therein may, by propermanipulation, be delivered from the body. In accomplishing this object Ihave provided the 'improved details of construction hereinafterdescribed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein,-

Figure I is a view of a puzzle constructed according to my invention.Fig. II is a central section of same. Fig. III is a cross section of thedevice on the line A-A, Fig. II, looking in the direction of the arrowA. Fig. IV is an inverted cross section looking in the direction of thearrow B.

In making the puzzle, I construct the interior channels and hollowedparts of a material which may be bent or shaped to the desiredconfiguration; glass being preferably used as it may be blown tubularand shaped in the making so that it may be arranged tortuously. While Ido not wish to be limited to that material, I will describe themanufacture of the interior parts as of that material, in order to givea clear understanding of the method of making and the use of the device.

I first form a bulb 1, which is preferably oval or egg shaped, and formsa center or connecting chamber. I then make tubes 2-2 having flaringmouths 3 and inner ends 4L, which latter are projected througlh the bulb1 to about the center thereof, t e inner ends of the opposite tubesterminating close to each other and being oset so that but smallportions of their channels are in line. Near the outer ends of the tubes2 2 are elbows 5 for providing an irregular passage for an object passedinto the mouths, such elbow comprising the ears G which project into thegeneral path of the tubes so that should the object be returned throughthe tubes, it will strike the ear and be slightly deflected.

Opening into the tube 2', just inwardly from the ear 6 is a tube 7,which extends lat-l erally from the tube, is curved toward the bulb 1,turned backwardly and laterally and extended past the tube 2', andlooped, the end terminating in the bulb, the last opening being insubstantial alinement with the inner open end of the tubes 2, so thatwhen the device is held in position for delivering an object from thetube 7 into the chamber 1, it can pass through a part of the chamber andfall into the inner end of the opposite tube, 2. In the other end of thedevice is a tube 8, which opens from the tube 2 just inwardly from theear 6 and is looped, as shown, the end of the tube entering the bulb 1,in substantial alinement with the tube 2, at the side of such tubeopposite the entrance of the tube 7.

Inclosing the bulb and tubes just described, is an opaque body 9 whichmay be formed of clay, or the like, properly colored or ornamented, suchbody being preferably oval or egg shaped in contour and formed aroundthe mouths of the tubes 2-2, so that the surface will be smooth.

In using the puzzlefa small ball may be dropped into the mouth of tube 2and will pass therefrom into the bulb 1, on through the bulb into theopposite tube 7 or 8. After the ball has entered the puzzle, it ispassed around through the tube and bulb in an effort to secure itsremoval; should it be passed into the tube 7 through the bulb 1 andcarried through the double reverse curve to the mouth of the tube 2 itwill be returned into the bulb as before, owing to the outwardly curvedarrangement of said tube 7 adjacent to its connection with said tube 2,as it is readily seen that the ball could not enter said tube 2, unlessthe device were held in such position as to cause the fall of the balltoward the bulb. The same is true of the opposite tube 8.

In order to remove the ball from the puzzle, it should be passed intoeither of the tubes 7 or 8 and the body tipped so that the ball willdrop through the inner portion of Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

said tube and fall through a part of the bulb 1 into the open mouth ofone of the tubes 2-2. It is apparent through, that the ball might beremoved by throwing same from the bulb l into the mouth of one of thetubes 2 2 or it might vbe removed by delivering same from the tube 7 or8 into the connecting tube 2 2 and then turning the body quickly tothrow the ball out through the relative mouth 3.

In order that one familiar with the device map operate same, I prefer toplace a key word or mark such as the inventors name on the exterior ofthe body, so that by grasping the body in a certain position relative tothe key word the proper manipulation may be made to insure thewithdrawal of the ball.

In order to demonstrate that there is an opening entirely through thebody, I prefer to arrange the tubes 2 2 so that a wire or the like maybe passed entirely therethrough, and for this purpose, prefer to overlapthe inner ends of the tubes 2 -2 slightly, as illustrated in thesectional figure kin the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new therein anddesire to secure by Letters-Patent is Claims.

1. A puzzle comprising a body having an v interior chamber, tubesopening through said body and terminating within said chamber, andtortuously arranged tubes connected with said first named tubes and withsaid chamber.

2. .A puzzle comprising a chamber, tubes terminating in off-set relationwithin said chamber, other tubes connected with said first named tubesand opening into said chamber in substantial alinement with the innerends of said irst named tubes, and a body inclosing said chamber andtubes, eX- cept their outer mouths of the first named tubes,substantially as described.

3. A puzzle comprising a body, a chamber located within said body, tubesopening through said body and terminating in 0H"- set relation withinsaid chamber, said tubes having elbows therein, other tubes opening fromsaid first named tubes, inwardly from and near said elbowed portion andterminating in the chamber in substantial alinement with the mouths ofsaid first named tubes, for the purpose set forth.

4. In a puzzle, an opaque body, tortuously arranged tubes located withinthe body and having indirect communication therein, and a key word orthe like on the exterior of the opaque body, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE C. VESSELS.

Witnesses:

MYRTLE M. JACKSON, ARTHUR W. CAPs.

Copies of this patent lmay be obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

` Washington, D. C.

